Collapsible egg-case.



1. A. HURST.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

oonnnrsinnn EGG-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented net. 6, 1917.

Applicationjiled March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,502.

Philadelphia, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Eg Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shipping cases and it consists in the novel features herein-, after described and claimed.

An object of the invention isto provide a case especially adapted to be used for the purpose of transporting eggs and with this object in view the case comprises a pan shaped bottom member having side panels and end panels hingedly connected therewith. Top panels are hingedly connected with the side panels and when the crate is in setup position or condition the said top panels rest at their ends upon ledges provided at the inner side of the end panels. Suitable securing devices are provided for connecting the corner portions of the end panels with the corner portions of the side panels and a partition is adapted to be used in the case, the said partition being provided at its opposite edges with flanges adapted to interlock with flanges provided at the inner surfaces of the side panels.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the case showing the parts thereof collapsed.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in setup position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the case showing the parts thereof spread out.

Fig. i is a detailed sectional view showing one of the top panels locked in engagement with one ofthe end panels.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing one of the end panels locked'in engagement with one of the side panels.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the partition panel locked in engagement with one of the side panels.

The case comprises a pan shaped bottom member 1 having side panels 2 and end panels 3 hingedly connected therewith. The

'side panels 2 are provided at their ends with inturned flanges 4: having at their upper ends recesses 5. The end panels 3 are provided at their oppositeedges with inturned flanges 6 and the said end panels are provided at their upper corner portions with recesses 7 adapted to register with the recesses 5 when the said panels are in setup position. Hooks 8 are pivotally mounted at the outer surfaces of the end portions 3 and their bill 'ends areadapted to be swung down into the registering recesses 7 and 5 whereby thesideand end panels are held in setup position with relation to each other. The end panels 3 are provided at theirlinner surfaces and in the vicinity of their free edges with inwardly disposed ledges '9 and the said end panels are provided at their outer surfaces with suitable handles 10. Top panels 11 are hingedly connected with the free edges ofthe side panels 2 and when the parts of the case are in setup position the top panels are adapted to rest at-their ends upon the ledges 9 and the inner edges Assuming that the parts of the case are in setup position suitable fillers of pasteboard or other material may be arranged in the case at the opposite sides of the partition wall 14 and the openings or spaces in the said fillers may be used for holding eggs during transportation. When the filled case reaches its destination and isemptied' of its contents it maybe collapsed or folded in the following manner. The top panels 11 are swung in upward and outward directions and then the hooks 8 are swung up out of engagement with the registering-recesses'7 and 5. The end panels 3 are then folded back and the top panels 11 are folded back against the outer surfaces of the side panels 2. The said side panels 2 are then folded down in over the bottom member 1 and the end panels 3 are then folded down over the side and top panels and the flanges 6 of the said end panels may extend along the side walls of the pan shaped bottom member 1. Therefore, itwill be seen that when the parts are in collapsed position they are approximately received within the pan shaped member 1 and the said parts may be tied by using cord or wire and the handles 10 may be used for holding the collapsed case. Prior to folding the side panels down into the pan shaped bottom member the'par-r tition wall 14 may be laid upon the said bottom member and consequently it is secured and retained when the side and end panels are folded down toward the bottom member.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that a shipping case of simple and durable structure is provided and that the parts may be folded in compact relation for shipment or storageand conse quently the case may be conveniently and economically handled and shipped in trans portation both in delivering goods and in its return to a producer.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

A shipping case comprising a bottom member, side and end panels hingedly connected therewith, top panels hingedly connected with the side panels the end panels having ledges upon which the ends of the top panels may rest when the parts are in setup position, the said side panels having at their ends angularly disposed flanges provided at their ends with recesses which are located beyond the inner surfaces of the side panels, the said end panels having at their free edges and at points within their side edges recesses adapted to register with the recesses in the flanges of the side panels and hooks pivoted to the end panels at the oppo site sides of the median lines thereof and engageable in said recesses when the same are in register with each other'toihold the side and end panels against movement with relation to each other.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN A. HURST. Witnesses:

W. V. WRIGHT,

Curries O. FISHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

